The Key to Selenelion
by Nerdjoy
Summary: North is a girl who has an unusual relationship with Pokemon. They tend to keep their distance from her, and she has learned to keep away from them. Living in her small home with her dad, everything seems normal until a strange woman comes knocking on her door the morning of her trip to the Pokemon lab.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_Beep beep beep_.

Someday, I will break that alarm by throwing it clear across the room. But not today. I slammed it hard to stop the annoying sound and looked up at the clock. 6:30am. That means my alarm had gone off three times before this. Why did I have to be up so early? It was Saturday. I couldn't remember as my dream self began to call me back to rest my head and fall asleep. As I started to slump into my pillow and pull the covers over my head, the door to my room swung open, which was impressive since there was junk spread out everywhere that should have barred anyone from entering.

"Machamp! Champ!" a voice called into my dark room. I groaned. My fifth alarm clock had just decided to go off.

"Hmmm, five more minutes," I moaned sleepily. My eyes were already getting heavier as I was dropping back into unconsciousness. The covers flew off me and cold air hit. I shot up in bed and glared at Machamp. He had a squished face that had large, pale lips. Three tough structures stood on top of his head like plates. He wore a pink apron that said "Kiss the Cook," but I knew that underneath he wore only his shorts and belt. But the weirdest part of him was that he had four arms. He had two arms at the normal area on people, but there were two extra arms sprouting out from on top his shoulders.

Machamp was what people around here called a Pokémon. Where Pokémon came from was anyone's guess, but they have always been around since human walked the earth. There have been some scientists who have been debating where they came from for decades. The rest of us humans just know that they have amazing powers that they can summon, and that they can be great companions. I didn't particularly care right now, though. I just wanted to go back to sleep.

"Machamp!" he waved all four of his hands frantically, trying to make me not fall back asleep, which only worked in making me dizzy. I sighed. I couldn't stay angry at him. He was only trying to help wake me. I moved to the edge of my bed and rubbed my eyes. It only helped a little. I still felt tired. I saw Machamp studying me, determining if I would make another attempt to lie back down.

"Don't worry, Machamp. I'm up now." No thanks to you, I thought. I slid out of bed to prove it. He turned and left, satisfied that his job was done. I stepped out in the space I left for myself to walk around my room. It consisted of a route from the door directly to my bed. I yawned as I stretched my arms outwards. I know I was forgetting something, but I couldn't place it.

"North, you up?" a voice called beyond my bedroom door.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm awake," I called back. The house wasn't that big, so shouting out loud is the fastest way to communicate. It was only my dad, Machamp, and me who lived there. You know, quality father-daughter bonding. And my mom? Let's just say she took off to have an adventure when I was five and conveniently never came back. But I didn't really care anymore. That had been nine years ago. I was over her.

I got dressed quickly. I bet my dad knew the reason why I was awake so early. Before I left my room, I looked in the mirror to make sure I was ready for whatever the day was going to throw at me. My black shorts hugged the curves around my hips. The deep purple shade of my shirt brought out the amber color of my eyes. Technically they were green, but the color was so light that they looked amber. So I stuck with it. I let my slightly wavy almond hair dangle down below my shoulders. Sometimes I'm just too lazy in the morning to attempt to put up my hair. I looked down at my feet. My combat books clashed with the whole outfit. Perfect.

I walked out into the hallway and went down a staircase that led to the first floor. There were only two rooms on the bottom floor, one of which was my dad's room and other being the kitchen/living room. As I neared the bottom, I could smell pancakes and bacon. My stomach growled loudly as my mouth watered. Funny to think that I hadn't felt hungry until I tasted the rich smell in the air. I followed my nose to the kitchen where I found my dad and Machamp preparing a buffet for breakfast.

"Well, look who's finally up!" my dad said cheerily. On sight, not many people think of him as the jolly type, mainly because his entire body is covered in pure muscle. He looks like the kind of guy who could rip apart a tree from its roots, which might be true because my dad believes that the body is a sacred temple that should be taken care of and improved as best as possible. He exercises all the time and trains others as a job to keep fit. Machamp was his best friend and they did everything together, including taking care of me. My dad had once tried to make me like him and be all muscle. I refused with all my heart. I'm okay with just being healthy, not bulky.

Despite being incredibly tired, I smiled. My dad always made everything better somehow. He just had this air around him that made people relax and enjoy themselves.

"Morning, Dad. Why I am up this early again?" I sat down at the kitchen table. He turned to face me with eyebrows raised.

"You really forgot that easily?" I shrugged. It happens. I never really got into the habit of writing things down.

"Today is your class trip to Professor Palm's laboratory," he said as he turned back to the pancakes. He started to pile them on a plate while Machamp finished the bacon.

My class trip to Professor Palm's lab. Wonderful. Now I remember the rest of my class making so much hype over it, but I couldn't care less. His lab was where kids would go to get their Starter Pokémon. Professor Palm was a researcher who studied the relationship between a trainer and his first Pokémon companion, or Starter. Something about the connection with a person and his first companion was incredibly special. Some years back, a kid as young as ten could choose from three Pokémon to be his Starter. Now, a kid had to be at least thirteen, and he could chose whatever Pokémon he wanted as his Starter. But I was already fourteen (I'm one of the older kids in my class) and still didn't have my Starter. I didn't really want one. I wasn't the most social person in my class, and it was hard to make friends, especially with Pokemon. I had tried to make friends with a wild Nidoran before, but it didn't really work out. I ended up being sick for a week after having a slight poisoning incident. When I recovered, I couldn't find him anywhere. I guess I wouldn't want to hang out with a weird girl like me, either.

Pancakes and bacon brought me out of my thoughts. My dad had placed my plate in front of me with a look of concern. I must have been frowning, so I looked up at him and smiled. No need to concern my dad with these kinds of things.

A knock on the door made me jump. My dad frowned, a look of confusion on his face. He was as surprised as I was that someone would come to our house this early in the morning, but it's happened before. Mostly it was just his clients coming around to ask about training. I heard him open the door, and his voice carried something other than surprise, though I couldn't place it.

"Lividia, what are you doing here?" he asked. A woman's voice responded with a thick accent, though I had no idea where she got it from. It made her sound high-class and arrogant. I instantly didn't like her.

"Why, Daniel, you look absolutely delightful this morning! Are you still working out?" an obnoxious laugh filled the hallway. Daniel was my dad's first name. Who exactly was this woman?

A nervous chuckle escaped my dad. "Well, I'm a physical trainer now. It's good work." He hadn't moved an inch from the doorway, blocking my sight of the woman.

"Well, darling, are you going to invite me in? I smell something wonderful!" He hesitated, as if wondering whether letting this lady into our home was a smart thing to do.

"Actually, I had just finished eating breakfast and was about to go out for a run with Machamp." A lie. Why was he lying? I got up from the table to move towards him and see who this woman was, but was stopped by Machamp. He didn't look happy and he moved me farther back from the front door. There was so much tension in the air that I could practically reach out and grab it.

"Dad?" My dad stood straighter and turned his eyes towards me. They were warning me, but about what I had no idea. I sat back down at the table under his stare. His shoulders slumped a little, like he had given up, and he moved out of the doorway, allowing the woman at the door to come in. She waltzed right past him with a confident smile plastered across her face, as if she had just won the gold prize. He led the woman towards the kitchen. I caught a glimpse of blond hair and a beautiful dress before my eyes were drawn towards her face. It was like looking at perfection. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with intelligence, her face absolutely flawless from any blemish. Her makeup looked so natural that I almost believed she wasn't wearing any. Her hair was tied up in a professional bun, though it didn't look like it was put up hastily. It was more artsy, like she had taken her time to match her perfect hair with her perfect face. Even her outfit was perfect. The deep greenish-blue of the long dress made her face radiate with beauty. She was beautiful, and she knew it. Her eyes caught mine and she smiled.

"Is this your daughter?" her voice held that rich accent, and somehow it matched her appearance. Her eyes scanned me like I was an expensive toy that was bright and shiny. I squirmed in my seat. I didn't know what to do with that gaze turned towards me. Thankfully, my dad saved me.

"Yes, she is. North, this is Lividia. She was a…coworker back in the day." My dad moved to stand almost between me and Lividia, though we were still able to see each other. I looked at my dad's face. He was studying his old coworker like a virus that was in danger of spreading. I now knew what I heard in his voice: fear.

"Such a darling thing. Please, dear, call me Liv. It is far shorter and easier to handle." She smiled at me with a knowing smile, as if we had just shared a secret.

Before I could say anything back, my dad cut in, "North was actually just on her way to her school trip." He looked at me with such intensity that my stomach churned. Who was this woman to make my dad fear her so much? What work did he used to do? I guess I would ask him when I got back later in the afternoon. I gave a slight nod of acknowledgment so that he knew I understood.

Lividia looked at me with a slight raise in her eyebrows, but the smile never left. "Oh? Well, then run along, dear. Mustn't keep them waiting. It's all about the timing for these things." That last part seemed to be pointed at my father. He clenched his jaw and tensed. I had to leave. Somehow, I knew this was business between this strange woman and my dad, and I didn't want to be caught in the middle.

"Yeah, I was just heading out." I didn't need anything to bring with me, so I just walked out the front door without a glance back. I had no idea what had just happened, but I'm sure it wasn't good. I had never heard about what my dad used to do before he was a physical trainer. I guess he could have had another job before I came along, but he never told me about it.

I walked out to the dirt road. We lived about a twenty minute walk from the main town. My dad loved the outdoor scenery in the country. A bonus for us is that the lab was only ten minutes away. It was surrounded by fields, ponds, and any other kinds of terrain Professor Palm had created to keep a wide variety of Pokémon close to his lab. A forest cut a line between the wide ranging fields and the wild. At least I knew there would be a lot of cool Pokémon to see. Maybe the class trip will keep my mind occupied.

The walk was never long because the natural beauty of the countryside always kept my attention. I could see a flock of Pidgeys in formation as they flew over me. There was a large grazing field to my left where Tauros were resting peacefully. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as the sun rose above the tree tops. I smiled. I loved it out here. I felt wonderful in the morning sun. The sleep had finally fallen away from me like a winter coat being shed for spring. It was refreshing and helped me forget just a little about the strange encounter this morning.

I could see the giant building on the side of a hill that signaled the entrance to the Pokémon lab. It was rounded like a dome. The bright whiteness of the building stood out against the brilliant blue of the sky. The building had been there for years. In fact, it was the quiet nature of this town that had attracted Professor Palm to set up his work here.

I walked to the front of the building and made my way up the steep steps toward the entrance. As I walked through the doors, I could see a group of excited kids, all my age, waiting in the smaller room that led to the actual laboratory. They were all talking to each other excitedly, and I could catch the words "journey" and "adventure" in each conversation.

I snorted. A journey. It was funny just to think about it. The kids from school always talked about when they get their Starter, they would just go out on a journey right away to become the strongest Pokemon trainer and to see the world. The thing is, it was rare for a kid to actually go on a journey. Most realize that they don't want to go through the hardships of living in the wild, not knowing when their next meal will be. For me, I was definitely not going on a journey. I mean, sure I would love to see what the world outside this small town holds, plus I would be able to hold my own in the wild. However, that would mean leaving my dad alone. I couldn't do it.

"Ah, there you are North," my teacher, Mrs. Kole, said after I joined the rest of the mass of students. She was an elderly woman with a warm smile on her face and streaks of gray and white in her hair, but don't let that fool you when she passes out homework. Deep down, she's just another evil teacher bent on forcing us to learn. The horror of it all. "I'll go tell the Professor we are ready for him."

Most of the kids were with each other in groups, excited about which Pokémon they will choose to be their Starter. So many of us in a small space made me cranky. I looked around, wondering when it was going to begin so that I could go back outside. It was probably not the right mindset, but the morning seemed too beautiful to waste to be inside. I inched my way to the back of the crowd as the students seemed to cluster close to the inner lab doors. All the chatter grew louder as the set of giant double doors swung slowly open. A tall, geeky guy came out with Mrs. Kole. He was probably around the age of fifty, but had a young looking face. His hair looked like wet sand and round glasses rest on his nose. He wore long red pants with bright blue converse on his feet. His lab coat trailed down all the way to his calves, hiding a disgusting yellow shirt underneath. All-in-all, a fashion disaster, though he didn't seem to notice. Or care.

"Welcome students!" Professor Palm said with a grand gesture to indicate everyone in the crowd. A bit of a theatrical guy. "You all know why you are here, yes?" he asked with a grin. I got the feeling he was getting more excited than my classmates. I guess he doesn't usually get a big group like us to research all the time, so we must be a treasure trove for him.

"Yeah, we're here to pick our Starters!" one of the boys from my class yelled back. He got some whoops and yeahs from the people around him. I could see the anticipation on everyone's faces. They wanted to go outside the lab and choose a companion. The professor better hurry if he didn't want a mob to crush him.

"Of course you all will be picking your Starters," he began, "but remember that your companion must choose you, too. If you don't get along with your Starter, then there will be a rough road ahead. Pokémon are just like us, and some become our best friends. It is 87% likely that you will still have your Starter by your side throughout your entire life. Remember that."

I thought about it. I had always thought that Starter Pokémon would just be like any other Pokémon I would meet. But to have that same Pokémon with me for the rest of my life? No Pokémon would stay with me that long.

"Now, the Pokemon will be in their comfortable environments. You must approach them carefully and respectfully. Remember that and we won't have any problems. Also, if a Pokémon doesn't want to go up to you or interact with you, don't bother it. If you antagonize any of these Pokémon, they will not hesitate to protect themselves. Got it?" Many nods and some yessirs came from the crowd.

"And after you have found your partner, please come to me so I may put your information in the files." He paused and looked at his watch. "Okay, you all may go in. I wish you all the bes…" the stampede of kids burst forward before he finished. They were all running for the doors that led to the different terrain environments outside where we will meet our Starters. At least the Pokemon will be more comfortable than me.

I walked slowly behind the rushing crowd. Soon, we were all outside and I could hear laughing and shouts as my classmates spread out. I guess I had to start somewhere. Making my way past the rounded hill towards the shaded trees of the forest, I wondered again if I had to have a Starter. There was no rule that said a person must get along with Pokemon. Of course, that wasn't the problem. I thought that I actually did get along with Pokemon, if only they got to know me more. Machamp was with me since the day I was born, so he was forced to get close to me and couldn't run away when we were in the same room. But I don't think I can just grab my Starter and shove him into a room to be with me until he liked me.

I followed a group of five girls towards the tree line. Most of the Pokemon terrain was hidden inside the forest. Even though I didn't have high hopes of getting my Starter, I could at least have a look around. And maybe with a group I could get closer to the Pokemon. It was worth a shot.

We moved through the trees and first came upon the water terrain. It was a huge lake with a giant tree near the edge of the water. The five girls all giggled and made excited sounds as they got closer. The lake was beautiful as it sparkled in the sunlight, and I could make out the many shapes of Pokemon in the water. There was a school of Goldeen going about their business. A few Staryus danced around each other. Some Squirtles were gracefully swimming beneath the surface, probably trying to show off to anyone who came by.

I looked along the edge of the lake and there was a Polywag that seemed to be waiting for us to approach. One of the girls walked farther ahead and crouched down to be level with it. She was talking with it excitedly and Polywag seemed to be happy with what she was saying. She spread out her arms in welcome and Polywag just jumped into them. I think I just witnessed the first making of a Starter and Trainer bond. Was it really that simple? Go up to a Pokemon, ask if it wanted to be friends, and then boom? Well, then this was going to be easier than I thought.

"Hey, Rachel, you got him?" One of the girls in the group called out. Rachel waved back at us and lifted Polywag in her arms, hugging it close to her. She ran towards us and showed Polywag to all her friends. They all squealed over it. She even showed it to me, though Polywag wasn't too happy about getting any closer. It almost jumped out of her arms to get away, but Rachel soothed it by speaking low and calm, saying everything was alright. She looked at me worriedly, and I knew what she was thinking. She wanted me to leave. Everyone in my class knew the problem I had with Pokemon. They knew how much they were terrified of me and didn't want to get near me. I never protested, or called them liars when they talked about me. It was true. I was never welcomed among the Pokemon, and that seemed to make people nervous around me. If Pokemon didn't trust me, then they wouldn't, either.

"Hey, thanks for letting me see your Polywag, Rachel, but I'm going to head back to the fields," I said hurriedly. I wanted to get out of here before the girls accused me of running all the Pokemon away. I could see the eagerness of my departure across all of their faces. At least they hadn't turned me away openly, but they were still glad to be rid of me. I walked back the way we had come. I didn't think I was going to have much luck at any of the other terrains either.

As I left, I walked into Professor Palm. Literally. I had my head down and was thinking about what had happened and didn't watch where I was going. I guess he hadn't been paying much attention either, because he was also caught off guard.

"Ah, sorry, Professor Palm, didn't see you there," I mumbled.

"North! Oh, well I see that things aren't going along very well?" he asked with a broad smile, not meaning to be hurtful. Palm was probably one of the few people who actually accepted me. He didn't mind Pokemon wondering away from me. In fact, he thought it was fascinating and took time to grill me questions about my diet or if I was wearing any perfume. Because of the research he does with the bonding of Pokemon, I was an oddity and fascination to him with Pokemon steering clear of me. I used to feel incredibly uncomfortable with him around me because I felt like another research tool to him, but soon I realized that Palm found everyone interesting, just on different levels. And I was in his top bracket. So, I didn't take it personally. I actually took some fun out of it and played pranks on him when I could, like telling him I ate a ton of garlic every day. He ended up smelling like garlic for two weeks until I told him the truth.

I sighed. I didn't want to tell him about what had happened. It hit too close to home. So I told him a partial truth.

"Professor, I just don't want a Starter Pokemon. None will ever get close enough to me to even meet me, let alone build on a relationship with me. I'm a lost cause. Sorry for not being able to help out with your research."

The Professor was still smiling and looking at me as if I had just said the most interesting thing he had ever heard in his life, but I could see his eyes grow solemn.

"You know, North, you are a lot like a certain type of Pokemon I know," he said as he turned to look off into the deeper forest, seeing things that I couldn't. I just stared at him. Palm has never compared me to a Pokemon before. I mean, other people of compared me to Slowpokes and Magikarp, but no one was ever serious about their comparisons. But Professor Palm seemed genuine.

"What do I remind you of?" I asked, half expecting a joke answer, half wishing a true answer. He turned his eyes back towards me and I could see the seriousness in them.

"A Cubone."

"Cubone?" I asked. I thought hard about what I learned about Cubones from school. I knew that they preferred solitude, but would occasionally be found with companions. They wore the skull of their dead mother, though I always found that part painfully sad. I didn't have a mother myself, and carrying a piece of her with me for the rest of my life seemed too heartbreaking. All-in-all, they were isolated, lonely Pokemon. "You think I'm that isolated?"

He shook his head. "I think you are that strong." I frowned. What kind of answer was that? I'm strong because I don't have a mom just like a Cubone? A light chuckle escaped him as he saw the confusion wash over me.

"Try not to dwell on it. But just know that strength does not have to be tangible to be true." With that cryptic advice, he left me to move on and see how the rest of the class was coming around. I kept on walking towards the tree line. Professor Palm always seemed to get my thoughts off things. I'll have to thank him for saving me from myself one of these days.


	2. I Join a Stampede

**Chapter 2**

The sun had risen higher in the sky, and it started to get hotter. I reached the end of the line of trees that began the long expanse of forest. I could hear my classmates calling out each other's names and moving around noisily, finding their new best friends. I just chose my favorite tree with the best shade. The world was beautiful in the morning sun. I sat at the tip of a hill with a fantastic view. Below me there was a huge field that ran far to my left, making up the rest of the fields for the hoofed Pokémon who lived in the open space. I couldn't see the professor's lab from here, but I knew it was behind the hill to my right. There were about one hundred Ponytas and Tauros that were grazing at the bottom of my hill. The Tauros looked peaceful while they grazed, despite looking ferocious with giant horns on top of their heads. It wasn't hard to leave them alone because of their nasty attitudes if someone got too close, but from my safe distance, they were serene Pokémon. Ponytas were simply beautiful when you looked at them. They had flames that danced around the curves of their body, giving off a gentle warning to be cautious when someone approaches. I heard that Ponyta trainers were never caught in the flame because of the trust they shared with their Pokémon. I saw a group of three classmates approach some of the Ponytas, but the whole herd, moving as one body, bolted farther up the neighboring hill. I guess getting a Starter wasn't as easy as it seemed.

A noise above me made me jump. I looked up to see a pair of Mankeys looking down at me. I froze, waiting for them to make the first move. They looked like round puff balls with arms, legs, and a tail, but they were anything but cute. I knew that Mankeys had a bad attitude, and they would attack me if I offended them. It could be any type of offense, and be as small as sitting under their tree. I kept looking up at them, never taking my eyes away. I saw their anger leave their faces. Then they were gone, jumping from tree to tree as they left me behind. I let out a huge sigh of relief. That was a close call. I settled back down in my spot. Closing my eyes, I knew I should have been out there with the rest of my class looking for my Starter, but I was just too comfortable here.

The noise woke me up first. I jerked up, looking left and right, momentarily stunned. Did someone scream? Another high-pitched sound rolled across the hills. My teeth chattered and my head buzzed from the noise, as if it was a stinger poking at my brain. It hurt my ears, so I placed my hands over them to keep the sound out. It only seemed to work to lessen the effect, but the sound was still there with a painful jab to my head. This type of noise was definitely not someone screaming. It sounded more like a whistle, but I never heard of a whistle that hurt.

I got up still holding my hands against my ears. It was difficult, but I wanted to find the rest of my class. It seemed like I was the only person on the edge of the forest. The herds had all move on to other grassy fields. I walked for about five steps when I felt the rumbling under my feet. The whistling hadn't gone away, so maybe it was causing the ground to shake. I took two more steps when I saw the first Ponyta come over the hill towards me. It was dashing like mad, sprinting straight for the forest line. I stepped out of its way as it galloped past me and into the forest. The loud noise must have spooked it. Then the thought occurred to me. There was more than one Ponyta in a herd. I was suddenly aware by the strengthening rumble of the ground beneath me, and I knew what was coming over that hill. I turned back around and ran for the forest line. I saw the first part of the herd come over the hill like lightning arcing across the sky. I began to climb the tree that I had been sleeping under. Only the tree would grant me safety from those deadly hooves, and I didn't want to be trampled.

Once I reached the first branch, half of the Ponyta herd had already passed underneath me. They all fled deeper into the forest, trying to run away from the horrible high-pitched noise. I looked back over the hills and the fields, feeling like I had missed something important. I couldn't think about what I had forgotten until I heard the sound of more hooves. Horror struck. The Tauros herd had been spooked as well, and they were following the Ponyta herd at a slower pace towards the forest line. However, unlike the Ponytas, Tauros were known for taking down trees in a stampede. I only had time to see the head of the first Tauros round the hill before I scrambled back to the ground, gracefully landing on my butt as I fell. I got up from the ground and ran deep into the forest. I don't know how far I would have to go to know I was out of danger, but I knew that the Tauros would catch up to me if I didn't keep moving. I sprinted forward, tripping over fallen logs and roots. I fell twice, both times scraping my face and elbows, though I didn't feel any pain with my adrenaline pumping. The ground shook all around me. I knew that the stampede was still behind me, and the sound of trees breaking and falling didn't comfort me one bit. I just got back up and ran.

The loud noise that woke me up was still rattling through the air. It felt like there were needles jabbing into every inch of my body, but I couldn't stop moving. I had turned left and right randomly, yet the herd was still behind me. I had absolutely no idea where I was going, and the loud sound seemed to never get quieter. It should have at least gone lower in intensity, but it felt stronger than ever. I ducked my head under another tree branch and jumped through a pair of bushes that looked like giant boulders. When I came out of the other end, I found myself running in a clearing. I cursed under my breath because now there were no trees as obstacles to keep the Tauros from gaining on me. I was almost a third of the way through the clearing when I noticed something strange. I could see the Ponyta herd in front of me. I shouldn't have been able to catch up to them, but there they were, all of them panicking before the edge of the clearing on their side. What was wrong with them? I turned behind me and saw the Tauros group reaching the line of the clearing. I was sandwiched between the two herds. I tried to run to my right, but the Tauros herd had spread to encompass the entire clearing, making room for the ones in the back. I had nowhere to go but towards the Ponyta herd. To be trampled by a Tauros or be trampled by a Ponyta? The choices weren't what I would call perfect. I ran towards the Ponytas.

As I neared the herd, the Ponytas got wilder. The ones that were closest to me snorted and bolted away so as not to be near me. It was chaotic. One Ponyta saw me and dashed towards me as a challenge. It was going to try to run me off, but I had nowhere to run. I stayed my ground and stared at it as it grew nearer. This was probably the leader of the herd and it wanted me gone, but I was hurt from the noise, tired from running for my life, and confused about what was going on. So I ran head on towards it, getting ready to roll out of the way when I saw the chance.

Before the Ponyta got to me, the sound stopped. It was so abrupt that the Ponyta stopped charging. It looked at me warily, as if it thought I was the source of the sound. I looked around the clearing. The Tauros had stopped, too. The entire two herds were with me in the open space somewhere deep in the forest.

That's when the ground began to rise. I fell down as I was knocked off balance, though most of the hoofed Pokémon managed to stay upright. I heard them all cry out. I looked around me, wondering why none of them decided to jump off the rising earth and bolt for the forest again. Then I noticed the electricity. A barrier of electricity prevented anything from jumping off and running away. That's what must have stopped the Ponyta from running past the clearing. It was a trap, and there was no escape as we rose faster to the sky. But who would want a Pokémon lab's herds? I had the sinking feeling that I was about to find out.

A shadow passed over the landing. I looked up, but saw no cloud in the sky. It wasn't supposed to be a solar eclipse either. I stared harder at the sky, and saw it. A giant machine hovering in the air. It was camouflaged to match the color of the sky so that any passerby would not be able to see it. But if you knew something was there and you concentrated hard enough, you could make out the outline. And it was huge. I didn't know what to do. We were rising as if by magic. Electricity made the only walls of the platform we were on, and I was sure that the people who made this were not very friendly towards young kids getting in their way. I had no Pokémon to protect me, or even help me escape. I looked over at the Ponyta herd. None of them were paying attention to me. They were all too busy freaking out about flying in the sky with no way out. Perfect.

As we got nearer, I heard something mechanical open, like a garage door. We were going to be swallowed by the floating airship. I felt a cool rush of wind from the air conditioning inside the ship. I knew what I was about to do was crazy, but hey, what choice did I have? I crept closer to the Ponyta herd as the platform was safely within the airship. The mechanical doors started to close beneath us and I knew I only had one shot at this. I was practically in the middle of the herd when the doors clicked shut. Then all hell broke loose.

I jumped up and shouted "Ha!" Just as I had hoped, the Ponytas went wild. They bolted towards the electric force field. Before they could ram into the electricity and hurt themselves, the lead Ponyta produced fire from its mouth and used it as a javelin. The other Ponytas joined in and the electricity seemed to dissipate in the immense heat. I heard several screams and yells of alarm as the Ponytas got loose. They ran rampant, but I didn't see where they went. I just had eyes for my escape. I sprinted with the slowest of the Ponytas off the platform, the adrenaline pumping through my body and heat rising to my head. I ran for cover behind some stacks of boxes that were piled by a nearby wall. I heard the Tauros join the Ponyta in the stampede, and there was much cursing from people I couldn't see. Once I was safely behind the boxes I noticed that I was shaking and couldn't stop. I knelt down and took deep breaths, trying to slow down my beating heart and remain calm. But how could I do that if I didn't even know where I was? Scratch that, I knew where I was. I was up in the sky with no way down with some people who had just kidnapped Professor Palm's herd of Pokémon. Not the best situation to get myself into.

I took a peek through a gap between two boxes to see the chaos I had created. Men in black uniforms with a giant red R on the front were trying to contain the Pokémon. They clearly hadn't been prepared for this type of thing to happen. Lucky me.

"What exactly is going on here?" a rough voice boomed out. I tried to see who had spoken, but I would have to reveal my head to do that, so I remained still. The voice sounded strong and powerful, most likely someone I didn't want to mess with.

"Sir, the Ponyta destroyed our electric fields and escaped along with the Tauros," one of the guys right in front of my hiding place responded. He looked terrified, and I don't think it was because of the loose Pokémon. Heavy steps came closer until a giant man loomed in front of my boxes. His skin was dark with a deep tan, like he had spent the majority of his time out in the sun. His head was small and round with buzzed hair that couldn't get any shorter, with beady eyes the color of charcoal that only had to stare at you to make you squirm. But what drew my attention were the three long scars that stretched from below his left eye and ran jagged towards his jaw. It made him look cruel. I watched, horrified, as a meaty hand picked up the small man by the collar and brought him up higher to meet his small eyes.

"Then get. Them. Back." There was a whimpering sound from the smaller guy before he was thrown back to the ground. He scrambled up quickly and shouted out orders to the other guys with a slight higher pitch in his voice.

He stood with his back to the boxes, and I knew it was time to leave. Any longer and someone might spot me, and I didn't want to meet the giant man face to face. I looked around and found a door to my far right. It was quite a distance, but maybe if I hurried no one would notice me. I took a few more deep breaths, and started to count to three.

I sprinted as fast as I could, but I could feel myself become vulnerable without anything to shield me. I heard everything in the room, from the shouts of the humans to the screaming of the Pokémon. Then, a single voice yelled over the rest, "Hey, you!"

I didn't stop to see who shouted. I just kept on running. When I reached the door, a blast of energy exploded at the wall to my left. I glanced behind me to see three men and their Growlithes, charging after me. I went through the door and slammed it shut behind me for the good it might do. A corridor ran straight in front of me, and I had no choice but to follow it. These people knew I was here, and I needed an escape.

I heard the door crash open as I neared a fork in the walkway. I kept running to my left, hoping that the men went the other way. I began to appreciate the workout exercises I did with my dad. Maybe I could just keep outrunning the bad guys. I rounded a corner and crashed into two women wearing the same uniform as the men in the cargo hold. They were so startled that I had time to sprint down the hallway before they came after me. Maybe running blindly through an airship wasn't the most brilliant plan I had. There was another door in front of me, and I ran to it with everything I had.

A fire ball exploded next to me as I opened the door. I could feel the rise of the temperature as it knocked me to the ground, throwing me forward. My eyes were blinded for a second from the blast and my ears were ringing.

I could make out a woman yelling, "Are you an idiot? Try _not_ to destroy the ship while we're in the air!"

"That's never happened before, I swear! They were always smaller in practice. Anyway, I got her, didn't I?" a guy responded. While they argue, I tried to get back up. I smelled singed hair and felt sore from being thrown. I looked around, trying to shake off the dizziness I felt. I saw the platform with the Ponyta and Tauros back on it with another, stronger electrical force to keep them in. Great, I ran a huge semi-circle and came back to another door that led into the cargo hold. And it seemed all attention was now on me. Wonderful.

Someone stepped over me and lifted me into the air in a bear hug. I squirmed against his grip, but only managed to have him tighten his hold. It was like being hugged by a constricting Ekans. I stopped moving and concentrated on seeing. The two women I had knocked over and two of the guys following me were all smirking at me. The one holding me up must have been the third man.

"Well, well, well, what did we catch in our web?" one of the women asked. I recognized her voice as the one that had yelled at the men. She must be a ranking member, or just incredibly arrogant.

I just stared at her, trying to calm my mind and body. My dad taught me how to meditate in extreme circumstances, and I needed all the calm I can manage.

Something about my calmness must have angered her. "Say something you little twerp."

I smiled, and I knew it would piss her off even more. Maybe if I could make her mad enough, she would make a mistake. And once she made a mistake, I could try to get free again.

"Why, you little…" she began.

She stalked forward like she was about to slap me, but someone growled, "Melanie." It was enough to make her eyes grow wide and for her to back off.

The man who was holding me turned his head to look behind us and I took the chance to kick him in the knee. He dropped me and I rolled to the side, about to run towards another door when I felt a meaty hand on my shoulder. Just that weight hurt like hell, and I couldn't move out from underneath the grip. I looked up to see the giant man from before.

"Enough of this." His voice was like rolling thunder. I was paralyzed, unable to move even to defend myself. Something was wrong with my body, and I didn't think it was from being scared. This man had done something to me, but I didn't know what. He turned around, giving me his back like he knew I was no threat.

"Take her to the holding block." The man I kicked lifted me roughly, probably bitter from being hurt by a girl. He held me like someone would carry their luggage, and I couldn't do anything but watch him do it. Only my eyes could move, and I saw the angry woman, Melanie, looking at me. She seemed satisfied by my fear now, as if she needed some reassurance that she was scary. I wish I could tell her that she wasn't the one I was afraid of.

The man carried me to the other side of the cargo hold, coming up behind the giant man. I had probably gotten stuck on the wrong side of the room for a wild goose chase. As we got near a green door, I heard a shriek. It wasn't human, but I knew it hadn't come from a Ponyta or Tauros. Someone behind me cursed.

"It's that thing again," one of the men mumbled under his breath.

"We should have gotten rid of it when we had the chance," another whispered back. I guess whatever it was, the crew didn't really want it here, but it wasn't up to them. Suddenly, I was being dropped to the ground as something rammed into the man carrying me. He fell to the ground with a cry of pain, his nose bleeding. Probably broken. I couldn't have cared less.

I was dropped facing the green door and the giant man. He was looking grimly at whatever was behind me. I bet that was his normal expression. Somehow, he came off as the type of guy who never smiled at anything. I heard screams and shouts, most muffled or stopped abruptly. I couldn't turn to see what was happening, but it sounded like a beating.

Then, it was silent. I could only see the giant man and wonder what was behind me. I didn't have to wait long to know. Something pushed off me like a spring board and flew towards the giant man's face. I caught a glimpse of a skull and brown fur. It was a Cubone. But what was a Cubone doing all the way out here?

A rumbling came from the giant man, and it took me a moment to realize he was laughing. It made me want to hide under a rock. I wanted to get away from him, to go anywhere but here, but I could only watch. I saw the Cubone raise its little bone as a club to whack the giant man. As it swung downward, the man lifted his hand and caught the bone in its downward thrust. There was no way of hurting the giant, but the Cubone didn't seem to give up so easily. It lowered its head and headbutted the man right in the chest. The giant man grimaced from the pain, and swayed just a little. He was no longer enjoying himself. Cubone landed just in front of my head. It looked up at the giant man with eyes filled with pure hatred.

"That is all the pestering I will allow, Cubone," he warned. Cubone drew back its head and let out another war scream before charging towards the giant once again. This time, it held out its clawed hands, probably in an attempt to scratch him. But he never got close enough. The giant tightened his fist into a ball and punched straight down from on top of Cubone's skull. The bone didn't crack, but it sounded like it hurt. Cubone went down, probably with an extreme concussion.

As I worried about the now unconscious Cubone, the giant man bent down to pick me up from the floor as well as the Cubone. I really didn't want to be any nearer to the man, but as he lifted me towards the green door, I saw the mess of people that Cubone dealt with before facing the giant. Guess there weren't many choices.

The giant man carried me down a narrow passageway until we reached a red double door that read _Package Hold_ in bold, black letters. He opened the door and tossed me and the Cubone inside. Once I hit the floor, I felt that I could move again. I rolled after the initial shock, trying to absorb most of the impact. When I stopped, I looked up at the giant man, who still stood in the doorway looking down on me.

"Who are you? What do you want with those herds of Pokémon?" I was going to keep asking more, but he held up his hand in a stopping motion, which for some reason made me unable to speak anymore.

"We are Team Rocket," he said slowly, deliberately, as if he was preparing a small speech to use at crowd, "and we need nothing from you. You are just an error that will be dealt with." I shifted my eyes down to the unconscious Cubone. For some reason, hearing him say that he will deal with me was the worst case scenario I had thought up.

He must have seen my gaze because he said, "As long as you give us no trouble, I promise to make it less painful than it sounds." With that lovely piece of information, he slammed the door shut and bolted it from the outside.


	3. What goes Up must come Down

**Chapter 3- What goes Up must come Down**

All I had was a bolted door, a hurt Pokémon, and nowhere to go. I wanted to curl up in the corner and cry, wondering what I had done to deserve such a fate. I've never even heard of Team Rocket before all this, but that didn't mean they were any less dangerous. From the giant air machine, I was guessing they were a big deal. I had to get out of here and tell the police, but that just led me back to square one of not being able to leave.

I got up and started to look around. There were boxes everywhere, crates stacked one on top of the other. Each stack had two giant boxes, which put them almost to my height, which wasn't really impressive given my age. Of course, not many fourteen year olds get themselves kidnapped by crazy people either.

I wasn't a huge fan for self-pity, but feeling sorry for myself seemed like a good thing to do right around now. Everything had gone by so fast it was hard to believe I had just left the house that morning to go to the Pokémon lab. I wonder if my dad noticed I'm gone yet? Maybe not with that weird lady appearing. He's probably still talking about the secrets of his past with her. That perfect woman.

Just the thought of that made my stomach clench. I'm his daughter. He should be able to tell me anything. Yet now, I feel like I don't know him. Sure, he's still the same father I knew, all smiles and bear-hugs and strong. But that face he had made when he saw that lady changed him. Suddenly he felt distant, cold, like a stranger. I had never seen that part if my father, even though it must have been there my entire life.

What did I know about my father's past? I hadn't even known about some job he held before being a trainer. He never talked about it unless it was about Mom. And the only bit of info I got out of _that _was that she left me. Plain and simple. The storage room felt colder. Shivering, I held myself to keep warm. Even thinking about my mom gave me chills. I never thought of her as a caring person. Only a selfish, bitter woman would give up her child willingly, even gladly. She must have seen me only as a problem to get rid of.

A sharp cry of pain and anger filled the compartment, tearing me out of my thoughts. I turned around in time to see something flying at me. I ducked but still got a sharp pain as the bone grazed my forehead. Something warm and thick was sliding down my head, but I only had eyes for the Cubone that was looking at me hard, as if I was the cause for all its pain and misery. Guess we had something in common. We both had uncontrollable pasts about our mothers.

It shrieked and ran at me on all fours like a battering ram. Even though I don't train as often anymore, my dad did teach me a thing or two about special defense, especially against Pokémon ever since the Nidoran incident. He made sure that Pokémon weren't the only ones that could do damage. I wasn't planning on hurting this Cubone, but if it came to it, I at least knew I could deal some damage.

I dove to the side at the last second, knowing it was hard to change course in an instant, but I underestimated the Cubone. It switched directions in the blink of an eye and hit me full force with the top of its skull. The wind rushed out of my lungs and I was slammed against a stack of crates, toppling the second one onto the floor. The contents of the crate exploded in a mass of dust and hay. I squinted in the direction I last saw the Cubone, but something caught my attention. It must have been the brilliant colors, because the next thing I know, I'm staring at five perfectly shaped ovals. Each with a different pattern, a different color. Each emanating a warmth that could only mean something was inside. Each alive. Each a Pokémon egg.

I didn't hear the battle cry until I saw the blur of brown fur. The Cubone must have stopped to search for its bone because now it wielded it like a sword that will cut my head off as it flew at me from above. I only had a second to slightly change my position before the bone came crashing down where my head used to be. Instead, the Cubone struck the ground, creating a nice huge dent in the ground. It wailed in furry and turned towards me again. Its eyes almost looked like they glowed with fire. It looked at me as if I was the cause to all its hurt. If only blaming other people for my problems was so easy.

But I also couldn't allow the Cubone to get near the exposed eggs. It's not safe for them to be strewn about, especially with a berserk Pokémon with killing intent, flinging around a weapon like it doesn't have a care in the world. The Cubone had to be calmed down, or lose consciousness again. Oh the choices to chose from.

The Cubone charged again, and this time I waited. When it was almost on me, I feinted a roll to me right. My plan worked as the Cubone shifted to catch me going in the direction as I braced myself for a swift kick to its skull that should knock it out. As my right leg connected with its skull, I caught my breath as a sharp pain bloomed in my left supporting leg. I crumpled to the ground just as the Cubone hit the floor hard.

I couldn't scream in pain because I felt like I couldn't get enough air in my lungs. I lay there gasping, trying to suck in air. My vision started to go spotty, but I held onto my consciousness. There was no way I was about to faint with a murderous Cubone in the same room as me, even if it was knocked out again. Turning my head to my injured leg, I mentally screamed to not look. But my eyes didn't listen as it skimmed over the sight of my left leg, and I was rewarded by losing my breakfast on the floor. My leg was broken, the shiny white bone jutting out at a peculiar angle. I had never broken a bone in my life, but it was worst pain I could have ever imagined. I tried to shift my leg to a better position, but I only succeeded in increasing the pain so I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on my breathing.

When I opened them again, I could see five round shapes in a mess of the broken crate and hay that cushioned them. Despite my plowing and knocking down the crate, the eggs all seemed to be fine with no cracks. There was one within arm's length, and wincing, I slid my hand around it. It had a soft red tint with dark blue, almost black, swirls randomly spread out. It felt so warm. I could practically feel the small Pokémon inside moving around, and it knew something was wrong. There were over one hundred boxes in the room, and that made a lot of eggs. Where did Team Rocket get them from, and why would they want Pokémon eggs?

Almost like a timed performance, the door opened and the girl Team Rocket member, Melanie, waltzed in with two flunkies by her side and a confident smirk on her face, though it faltered when she saw the broken crate.

"Junior," she said with forcefulness, her anger just riding under her skin like a second layer. Man, she needed some therapy. One of the flunkies, who I guessed was Junior, summoned a Growlithe, which instantly snarled at me. I glanced back at the woman who once again was shining with confidence. I really didn't like her.

"I would ask if you were comfortable down here, but it looks like you have already made a friend," she smiled cooly, as if her previous outburst of anger had never happened.

I had no escape and couldn't get around them with my injury. The fight with the Cubone had left me a sitting duck for whatever this girl had in mind.

Without any warning, the Growlithe jumped at me, snarling. Great to see my usual Pokémon charm was still working. I rolled towards the middle of the room as best I could, trying to keep the roar of pain in my head to a minmum. Shouldn't life or death situations be more focused on the fight? But all I could think about was how much pain I was in. I didn't even remember the Growlithe was there until it plowed into me and knocked my head hard into the floor. It felt like my torso was on fire as my head throbbed. The Growlithe withdrew fearlessly, knowing full well I couldn't get away. It was nothing like the Cubone's power. This Growlithe was trained for battling. It made Cubone look like a walk in the park.

"Please, keep squirming. You are making this so much more fun," Melanie said, laughing.

"How can I say no to such a request?" I managed to wheeze out between breaths.

The Growlithe started to turn and come again with a more arrogant air. When it got close enough, I put all my power into a kick with my right leg aimed at its chest. I launched myself at it and dropped instantly to the ground after the hit connected. The Growlithe went down a couple feet away from me, not nearly as damaged as I was, but equally as angry. The pain flared in my side and the broken leg, and I felt my vision blur for a second. When the world came back into focus, I saw the Growlithe open its jaws to set loose a flame. I once heard my father say that burns are the worst injuries, right next to broken bones. I lay flat, trying the shrink myself so I could avoid the fire.

Then the room exploded. The surprise on the bad guy's faces was priceless. Somehow, the ship had tilted to the side, causing the target of Growlithe's fireball to go to my right. The attack had managed to be hot enough to melt the metal surrounding the walls and the floor of the air craft. Lucky for me, there was now a hole leading to the outside world. Unlucky for me, I was being sucked out by the air pressure and will probably hurtle down to the earth and meet my immediate doom.

I got sucked out like a rag doll, hitting the side of the ship on my way out. I felt the weightlessness of free falling as the wind slapped me all around, my body broken from too many injuries. I couldn't focus on anything as I tumbled over myself, rotating over and over in the air. I managed to stop flailing and face what I thought was down. The pain in my side flared, and my head felt like bursting. I could hardly keep myself conscious not to mention figuring out a way of surviving this.

I looked below me, trying to find a way to stay alive when I saw the brown spot. I focused more and realized it was the same Cubone from the air ship. It must have been sucked out from the hole just as I was. I made my body straight like a torpedo and dove towards the falling Pokémon. If I could figure out a way to save me, maybe I can save it, too. Sure it had tried to kill me, but it was defenseless and unconscious, and if it didn't make it, I would always blame myself, even in death.

I was so close to the Cubone that my fingertips managed to brush its fur. I tried to tilt myself closer, but managed to only flip myself forward. The pain rose in the pit of my stomach from my broken leg and my side blazed in another wave of agony. I tried to gasp but couldn't get the air I needed from the rushing force of the fall. I started to hyperventilate and began to lose the images around me. The ground appeared closer, and before I felt myself slam into the earth, I blacked out.


End file.
